Support for gyrocompasses



Oct. 4, 1932. E. c. sPARLlNG SUPPORT FOR GYROCOMPASSES Filed Nov. 9.1929 A zv .L

INVENTOR 2/c ,0. 5mm //vG OR uw V.u

.will .M'WIII lill! Iatentecl Oct-i4, 1932 l PATENT oFFlcE Y; y -uNl'laDSTATES ERIC C. SI P.ARLING, OE GARDEN CITY,A NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'IOSPERRY GYROSCOPE- COMPANY, INC., 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 0FNEW v1YORK SUPPORT non. GYBocomrAssEs Application led November 9, 1929.Serial No. 405,887.

This invention relates Cto supporting means for gyroscopic Compasses orother heavyy direction indicating instruments. present practice tosupport such instruments by a plurality of inclined radial springs torelieve the instrument of Sudden jars and shocks. In such instruments,however, itis just as important to have the lubber line of j theinstrument aligned with the fore and aft .center lin-e of the ship andto maintain it there as to have the compass itself accurate, for `allreadings are taken with reference to the lubbers line. For accurateWork,

'I find that the usual spring suspension is i5 not satisfactory, sincethe varying tension ofthe springs may permit the compass to turn in itsbinnacle. slightly so as to become permanently displaced with /reslpectto the fore-and aft line ofthe ship. lso, where vthere is vmuchvibration from the ships engines, the compassmay tend to bounce up 'anddown erratically, twisting first one way and then another in itsbinnacle and thus giving false .readings of the compass. This is lespecially true on destroyers. To over- ,come these defects, I providemeans for preventing displacement ofthe compass lubber line in azimuthwith respectito the support but permitting free, up and down movement.30 of the compass upon 'its spring support.

- Referring to the drawing in `which the preferred forniof the inventionis shown;

Fig. 1 is a north elevation of the compass, partly 'in section, thesection being taken /through the outer support andfgimbal rings onbroken line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the compass.

The compass as a whole i. e., including the compass proper and itsbinnacle and gimbal rings 'is suspended from the outer support or"binnacle l by means of a plurality of' springs 2 spaced aroundv theinterior of said binnacle l and extending inwardly radially anddownwardly so as to be connected to the lower por- '45 tion of theoutefor binnacle ring 3. Said ysprings are damped by having frictionfpl'ugs 4inserted therein.- Within the outer ring 3.

the inner gimbal 4 is /pivoted in the usual v manner on pivotpins 5-6and the compass 59 spider 5 is pivoted within the gimbal 4i onpivot-pins 7-8 at right angles to the pins 5'-6. As stated above, whilethis construction is satisfactory for ordinary compass operatiom it.i'snot entirely satisfactory for accurate naval uses'. l

4 As the compass is set onthe ship, the lubbers line`9 thereofiscarefully aligned with the fore and aftcenter line of the ship and anymeans which would disturb this alignment would interfere with thecorrect reading of'the compass. Tofpreserve this alignment and at thesame time permit free spring suspension\within the binnacle l, I providea Vertical guide-way 10 within the binnacle l. Into said guideway isshown projecting a pin 11 secured to the outer ring 3 of the compass.Said'pin has-a close tit within said guide-way so that turning orazimuth dis- .placement of the ring 3 with respect to the support 1Cannot take place, and at the same time the freedom of up and downmovement is not interfered with. Preferably a similar pin and slotconnection 10-11 is provided on the opposite side of the compass andadditional similar connections maybe provided if so desired. f

I also preferably provide leaf springs 12 ,bearing between the innersurface of the binnacle l and the' vouter surfaceof lthe ring 3. ASaidsprings are preferably positioned ,just below the pins ll-ll on bothsides of the ,compass and serve to centralize theA ring 3 within thesupport or binnacle 1 and prevent translatory displacement thereof.Actual trials of my invention have shown that many errors which wereattributed to deviation of the compass itself were actually not com assdeviations but'v displacement-s' ofthe lub ers ring. whichshowed up inthe readings as deviations, and by my invention greatly improved resultshave been obtained in test trials.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have hereindescribed the principle and operation of my invention, together with theapparatus which I now consider to represent the best-embodiment thereof,but I desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is onlyillustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means.Also, while it is designed to use'the various features and elements inthe Y combination and relations describedd some of these may bealteredand others omitted without interfering vwith the more general re sultsoutlined, and the invention extends to -such use.

Having describedl my invention,A what I `claim and desire to secure byLetters: Patent passes and the like including an exterior support,radially extendingsprings for support*- ing the compass around the innerperiphery of the support, and a vertical guide between said support andthe compass for maintaining the compass in a fixed position with refspect of the fore Aand aft center line of the l 2. A supporting meansfor ships gyro com# `20 passes and the like including an exteriorsupship.

port, a spring suspension for supporting the lcompass from its support,-a vertical guide between said support and the compass-for maintainingthe compass in a-iixed. position with respect to the fore and aft.center line ofthe ship, and additional spring means for resist- Ainltranslatory movement of the'compass.

testimony whereof I `have affixed my sig nature. C

.1. A supporting means for ships gyro -com- I

